This invention relates to an improved body armor vest having improved protection against projectiles while at the same time providing increased comfort over armor of the prior art offering similar protection. Protective body armor, made from ballistic textile materials, is known to the prior art. Many workers in this art use aramid fibers sold by Dupont under the trademark KEVLAR.
Another protective body armor formed of ballistic textiles utilizing polyethylene based fibers is sold by the Allied Fibers Division of Allied Signal, Inc. under the trademark SPECTRA. SPECTRA fiber is an ultra high modular weight polyethylene fiber having extraordinary strength and a low specific gravity. In addition to its high strength to weight ratio, SPECTRA fiber exhibits several outstanding properties such as moisture and chemical resistance. The product is severed by special cutting devices so that it can be configured into a wide variety of protective equipment.
Allied Signal markets ballistic SPECTRA fiber in two formats: woven ballistic fabric and non-woven SPECTRA fiber Shield. The SPECTRA fiber Shield product has two layers of fibers bonded with a resin at 0.degree. to 90.degree. orientation. The fibers and resin are packaged between upper and lower polyethylene film layers.
Products such as Spectra Shield have an advantage over woven systems in that the individual fabric fibers are maintained in tension by the resinous packaging material in which they are secured. This causes a projectile to engage more fibers at impact. The resin in which the Spectra fibers are bonded inhibits the projectile from pushing fibers from the projectile's path.
The woven ballistic SPECTRA fiber fabric is available in various styles and deniers which offer protective qualities essential to producing lightweight and pliable body armor. When Spectra fabric and SPRECTRA SHIELD are combined as described herein, increased levels of protection are achieved at reduced weight and bulk yielding greater comfort to the wearer.